# Does the Secret Service Protection Kick in For Bush Tonight? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2000, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180 "2000-11-07T21:58:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/1 "2000-11-07T21:58:08Z")
Sure I was being presumptious(sp) but what the heck. Seriously though, will the Secret Service protect the president elect as soon as they announce tonight or are they already protecting both canidates(knowing they probably protect the VP already)? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/2 "2000-11-07T22:02:39Z")
They have been protecting Bush for some time, and were protecting Bradley, McCain and possibly several of the others during the primary season. In 1972 George Wallace was running for President as a Democrat (he had previously run on a 3rd party) and was shot at a campaign rally during the primaries. Given that RFK was assasinated in 1968, the Secret Service began extending protection earlier in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Deimos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Deimos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deimos)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/3 "2000-11-07T22:05:55Z")
major candidates get secret service protection. gumby… er… gore already gets it cos he’s el supremo vee-pee. junior gets it cos he’s a majour candidate. anybody know about the so called minor candidates? nader? browne? do they get protection? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/4 "2000-11-07T22:15:42Z")
If the Secret Service thinks there’s a security risk for any presidential candidate, they will offer protection I imagine. I would think that Nader and Buchanan probably have some sort of security. They could always turn it down. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/5 "2000-11-07T23:39:11Z")
Also, as soon as a candidate for either the Dems or Republicans receives his party’s nomination, Secret Service protection is also extended to his family members. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/6 "2000-11-08T00:08:20Z")
All ex-presidents and their spouses get it for life, too. I’m told that Lady Bird Johnson has turned down Secret Service protection, however. (PS: Does anyone know how she’s doing? Is she still in good health?) ---
**Author:** ![kpm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@kpm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kpm)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/7 "2000-11-08T00:23:47Z")
Nixon turned down his Secret Service protection a while after he left office. He used private security guards for a while. Lady Bird is still in Austin , she does work with trying to grow new types of wildflowers. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/8 "2000-11-08T00:27:07Z")
The Secret Service will offer its protection to any major candidate and their immediate families. (I’m not sure how they define “major,” though.) Anyone can refuse it if they want to. The only person who is forbidden, by law, to refuse SS protection is the President. I’m not sure about ex-presidents, though. ---
**Author:** ![Gnarly\_Narly\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/858c86/32.png) [@Gnarly\_Narly\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gnarly_Narly_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/9 "2000-11-08T02:42:48Z")
He’s been on secret service coverage since the first. It’s a law that came in when RFK was shot. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/10 "2000-11-08T15:07:58Z")
Everyone is correct about the candidates getting SS protection. I doubt the protection is anywhere near as great as that for the sitting president. As to the OP however I don’t know if SS protection increases for the president elect or if at any time his protection is as serious as that of the actual president’s SS detail. Remember, till the oath of office is taken he is NOT the president…just heir apparent. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/11 "2000-11-08T16:01:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > \*\*All ex-presidents and their spouses get it for life, too. I’m told that Lady Bird Johnson has turned down Secret Service protection, however. (PS: Does anyone know how she’s doing? Is she still in good health?) \*\* Not only is she in good health, she is now-ex-Senator Chuck Robb’s (of Virginia) mother-in-law. She appeared on the platform with him last night when he conceded to George Allen. There are probably pics at the Washington Post website. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2000, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-secret-service-protection-kick-in-for-bush-tonight/40180/12 "2000-11-08T16:07:39Z")
Gerald Ford’s son, Steve, had a Secret Serviceman assigned to him when he was working on a cattle ranch. During a snow storm, Steve had to go round up some lost beasts. Rather than get cold, the agent stayed in the car, figuring nobody would go after Steve in the middle of a storm. As a joke, Steve and his co-workers fired a rifle into the air just out of sight of the car, then rode to the car with Steve draped over his horse. When the SS guy saw Steve, his first words were concern for his job, not Steve.